Motor Sport ColumnGeorge Tracey will drive his spectacular Peugeot 307WRC in Sunday's round two of the Irish Rallycross Championship at Mondello Park. Irish and British multi-champion Dermot Carnegie will be at the wheel of Tracey's Metro 6R4, as his new Ford Fiesta supercar is not yet ready.
They can expect plenty of competition from surprise round one winner Derek Jobb in the ex-Helmut Holfeld Escort, John McCluskey in his Citroen Zsara WRC and Lawrence Gibson in a Metro 6R4.
Donegal MC's Forestry Rally is confined to two-wheel-drive cars (no WRCs). Ford Escort drivers led by Paul Barrett, Frank Kelly, Séamus O'Connell and Brian Lawler could well be in for a surprise from the experienced pair of Gary Jennings and Rory Kennedy in a Peugeot 206.
A field of 120 crews will contest tomorrow's first round of the Northern Ireland Rally Championship, run out of Kirkistown racing circuit. Glenn Allen, in a Toyota Corolla WRC, starts favourite, but faces a big challenge from Michael Curran (Skoda Octavia WRC), Seán Devine, Ray Johnston and Denis Biggerstaff in Subaru WRCs, Cathal Arthurs in a Skoda Fabia WRC, and Ford Focus WRC drivers Stephen Moore and George Robinson.
Rally legend Kenny McKinstry swops his customary driving seat to sit in as co-driver for Gary White in a Ford Escort Cosworth.
Eddie Peterson leads Eamonn Byrne by 29 points in the Motorsport Ireland Autotest Championship. Two-in-a-row Hewison Trophy winner Peterson has won six rounds from 11, but is not competing in Sunday's round 16 in Monaghan, opting instead to drive in the Mondello rallycross. When dropped scores are taken into account the championship championship could go all the way to the wire with Byrne capable of snatching an 11th title.
The dark clouds of controversy and doubt regarding this year's Circuit of Ireland have been lifted by the unanimous decision of the Ulster Automobile Club to go ahead with the rally on April 7th-8th. The format will be three stages in the Sperrins run twice on Easter Saturday and Sunday. Further details are expected to be announced today.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Tomorrow: Donegal MC, Forestry Rally, starts Central Hotel, The Diamond, Donegal Town, 9.30; Leinster MC, Sporting Trial, Cross Chapel, near Blessington, Co Wicklow, 11.30; Midland MC, Navigation Trial, starts The Pier, Lisnacrusha, Co Longford, 21.00.
Sunday: Co Kildare MC, Rallycross, Mondello Park, 10.30; Co Monaghan MC, Hewison Trophy Autotest, Hotel Hillgrove, Monaghan, 12.0.
